1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling strips of paper and, more particularly, to a paper strip handling apparatus incorporated in automatic paper strip handling equipment which deals with strips of paper such as bills or bonds in a bank or similar banking facility or tickets in a transport facility.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A cash handling apparatus, for example, belongs to a family of paper strip handling apparatuses and is incorporated in automatic cash handling equipment. In a bank, for example, when the customer deposits by using the cash handling apparatus, the apparatus automatically checks bills put therein as to genuineness while determining the kind and the number of the bills. If the customer or operator has operated the equipment accurately and if the bills are genuine, the apparatus stores the bills in a safe also included in the equipment. When the customer has operated the equipment in a wrong sequence or inserted bills in an incorrect position in the apparatus, the apparatus returns the bills to the customer to urge the customer to operate the equipment all over again or to reinsert the bills in a correct position.
The above-described cash handling apparatus has an opening or window for inserting or refunding bills, and a shutter for selectively opening and closing the window. The shutter usually closes the window for protecting the apparatus from dust and trash and freeing the apparatus from mischievous acts. A pooling section is associated with the window for temporarily storing bills put in the apparatus by the customer. Whether or not the bills have been accommodated in the pooling section in a predetermined position is determined by sensors included in the pooling section.
A prerequisite with such a cash handling apparatus is that a clearance be provided between the shutter and the apparatus body to allow the shutter to open and close smoothly. The clearance is apt to admit trash and other alien substances and even bills into the apparatus therethrough, preventing the apparatus from operating completely or causing it to malfunction. Moreover, when the sensor fails to operate normally, it is likely that the shutter closes when bills are protruded from the window, bent or otherwise positioned in an incorrect condition. Then, the apparatus would proceed to the next processing step with the shutter catching the bills. While the number of sensors may be increased to eliminate this problem, such an approach is not practicable without increasing the cost of the apparatus.